Published: Friday, February 22, 2013 at 11:28 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 22, 2013 at 11:28 p.m.

Scribbled on the window for Patrick and her crew to see are messages — some from fans who have from traveled as far away as Australia — and most from women encouraging the first female to win the Daytona 500 pole to keep making history.

“I’m going to have to go out and read it all,” Patrick said. “I’m sure there are some pretty good messages.”

Patrick’s cemented status as a role model for young women has not been lost on her as Sunday’s race approaches. Not surprising, because, like the messages on that window, reminders seem to appear at every turn inside Daytona International Speedway.

“It’s funny because a couple nights before (qualifying) Carl Edwards came over with his daughter,” Patrick said. “I’ve known since last year she was a huge fan of mine. She was over at the bus and Carl was saying it’s good that she sees me in real life and in person because he’s like ‘because to her you are like some mythical creature that doesn’t exist.’ ”

After qualifying, Patrick said Jimmie Johnson brought his daughter to meet her.

During her time with the media Friday, Patrick said she believed in leading by example and that she did not necessarily want that example to be “to step outside the box and be a girl in a guy’s world.”

“That is not what I’m trying to say,” she said. “But if you feel like you have the talent for something, to not be afraid to follow through it and not feel different.”

Patrick has proven she can drive fast in qualifying. But her example talk was just the start of a long answer that came on the heels of the question that she now faces — can she actually win the Daytona 500?

“Can I win?” she said. “Yeah, absolutely. I believe the statistic is a 17-percent chance starting from the pole.

“I feel comfortable in this kind of race situation. I feel comfortable in the draft. I feel comfortable with these speeds. They are not a problem. For me, it is just about finding out how to pass cars and having who I need to do it with.”

It was not the only time Friday that Patrick was asked if she could win the 500. The first time the question was posed, her crew chief, Daytona Beach native Tony Gibson, answered for her.

“I have 100 percent confidence in her skills and her ability,” Gibson said. “I’ve seen it in just the two races we did last year. We were sitting there running 11th or 12th in Phoenix on the lead lap and running with guys I never dreamed we’d be running with. So, she’s got the talent, and she’s got the ability.”

And she has seemingly got a world full of women pulling for her.

“I’ll say this, I have handed out more lugnuts to little girls at those little windows in the garage area than I have since I have been here,” Gibson said.

“I think that is really cool for our sport, and I think it’s going to help our sport grow.”

<p>DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The window that separates Danica Patrick's garage stall from the NASCAR Sprint FanZone tells its own inspiring story.</p><p>Scribbled on the window for Patrick and her crew to see are messages — some from fans who have from traveled as far away as Australia — and most from women encouraging the first female to win the Daytona 500 pole to keep making history.</p><p>“I'm going to have to go out and read it all,” Patrick said. “I'm sure there are some pretty good messages.”</p><p>Patrick's cemented status as a role model for young women has not been lost on her as Sunday's race approaches. Not surprising, because, like the messages on that window, reminders seem to appear at every turn inside Daytona International Speedway.</p><p>“It's funny because a couple nights before (qualifying) Carl Edwards came over with his daughter,” Patrick said. “I've known since last year she was a huge fan of mine. She was over at the bus and Carl was saying it's good that she sees me in real life and in person because he's like 'because to her you are like some mythical creature that doesn't exist.' ”</p><p>After qualifying, Patrick said Jimmie Johnson brought his daughter to meet her.</p><p>During her time with the media Friday, Patrick said she believed in leading by example and that she did not necessarily want that example to be “to step outside the box and be a girl in a guy's world.”</p><p>“That is not what I'm trying to say,” she said. “But if you feel like you have the talent for something, to not be afraid to follow through it and not feel different.”</p><p>Patrick has proven she can drive fast in qualifying. But her example talk was just the start of a long answer that came on the heels of the question that she now faces — can she actually win the Daytona 500?</p><p>“Can I win?” she said. “Yeah, absolutely. I believe the statistic is a 17-percent chance starting from the pole.</p><p>“I feel comfortable in this kind of race situation. I feel comfortable in the draft. I feel comfortable with these speeds. They are not a problem. For me, it is just about finding out how to pass cars and having who I need to do it with.”</p><p>It was not the only time Friday that Patrick was asked if she could win the 500. The first time the question was posed, her crew chief, Daytona Beach native Tony Gibson, answered for her.</p><p>“I have 100 percent confidence in her skills and her ability,” Gibson said. “I've seen it in just the two races we did last year. We were sitting there running 11th or 12th in Phoenix on the lead lap and running with guys I never dreamed we'd be running with. So, she's got the talent, and she's got the ability.”</p><p>And she has seemingly got a world full of women pulling for her.</p><p>“I'll say this, I have handed out more lugnuts to little girls at those little windows in the garage area than I have since I have been here,” Gibson said.</p><p>“I think that is really cool for our sport, and I think it's going to help our sport grow.”</p>